Tandem seat



R. R. HARR TANDEM SEAT July 16, 1935.

Filed Nov. 6, 1934 2 sheets-Sheet 1 mam 82mm R. R. HARR TANDEM SEAT July.16, 1935.

Filed Nov. 6, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patentod July 16, 1935 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE TANDEM sEA'r Robert Russell Hart, Takoma Park, ApplicationNovember 6, 1934, Serial No. 751,759

8 ciaims, (01.208-24) My invention reiates broadly to seats and moreable to a vehicle and by which a tandem seat particularly to theconstruction ofa tandem seat may be adjustably suspended and a hand gripadapted to 'be readily attached to `motorcycles, biprovided for theoccupant of the'tandem seat cycles, velocipedes, and other Vehicles.Without any other support between the tandem One of the objects of myinvent'ion is to provide Seat and the vehicle. The tandem seat of my 5.a tandem seat which may :be readily'applied to a -invention isextremeiy simple in its construcvehicle without consequential changes inthe posiion and iS capable of ineXpeIlSiVe manufacfllre tion of thedriver's seat of the vehicle. and asseinbly on a quantity productionScale.

Another object of my .invention is to 'pro- I provide an attachableframe structure which is 10 Vide a construction lof tandem attaeilmehi'for cohnectible to the vehicle frame in a position 10 Vehicles which issimple in its .construction and immediately behind the drivers seat ofthe veinexpensiye in mnufactur Vandproduo-131011 and hicle. Theattachable frame Carl'es means ad.- which may be attached to the vehicle;frame in a J'aoent the upper portion thereof for' pivotally positionimmediateiy behind the .driveris seat. supporting a tandem seat andmeans adjacent Still another Object of my invention is to p1'0- the10We1` pOriOn theI'BO for CllShiOnil'lg the tall- 15 vde a vtandemattachment for Vehicles in which dem Seat. I provide a Single Springelement va single spring member is employed for suspend- Whieh isinterposed between the attachable ing the tandem seat in a positionimmediately frame and a Siilaperfiing member depending from behind thedrvr's seat, the tandem seat. The attachable frame also A further objectof my'invengn is to `ppm/ide provides a hand grip for the occupant ofthe 20 a construction of vtandem Seat for Vehicles which tandem seat.Moreover, the attachable frame is adjustable in position with respect to.the drvincludes means projectible beneath the supportver's seat andwhich may be mainta-ined in an ino' Springs of the driveris seat forfirmly sunadjusted position protected from substantial IJOrillg theSprings Of the drivefs seat. The sin- 511001; 01' vibmtigm gle'Suspension for the tandem seat extends along 25 A 5'5111 further Qbjectof my mvention is :to p1-0 the Acentral axis of the vehicle and is soformed videa constructionof attaohable frame fora tanthat ShOCk andVibl'aioh iS n01: transmitted to dem seat adapted 'to be connected witha vehicle the tandem Seat in 'any appreeiabie amount. frame and whereinthe attachable frame includes The C011 Spring COnSiitutiDg theSuspension foi` 3,0 means for resiliently supporting an .adustable thetandem seat is so formed that the resistivity tandem Seat Whereby theentre Support for the of the coil spring :to compression increases asthe tandem Seat js efiected through a cgnnecon of tandem seat lowersunder the weight of an oche attachable frame with the vehicle frame.Cupant 01' as Shock 01` Vibl'ation tends to sub- Ancther Objct of mymyentjon is `150 pmvjde jeot the tandem seat to oscillatory movement theconstruction. of Eattachable frame which is ,under loaded conditions. 35readily connectib'le to the frame 4of' a vehicle and I? the example Ofmy invention illustrated which provides m combination a hand grip ;md aherem, I have shown the tandem seat as applied fiexble .Suspension foran adjustably mounted to a motorcycle, but it will be understood that:tandem seat the tandem seat of my invention is applicable to 'LO Otherand further objects of ;my inven-tion will any :form of vehicle such asbioyeles or veloci- 40 be pointed out in thespecification hereinafterfol- Peds' lowing by 'reference .to the accompanying draw- Refenmg Ttothe draWl-DS m detail, reference ings, in which: Character i designatesthe frame of a motor- Figure 1 is a `perspective view showing .the tan-.Cyle which iS formed as a yoke extend'i'n On Opdem seat ofmyinventionapplied .to .almotorcyc1e; posite sides of the rear wheelfender indicated 45 Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the tandemgenii-LHY 'ai-2- The frame i extendeatanangle .Seat shown in Fig, 1;Fig. 31s a view ,Of the ;tanimmediately behind the di'iver's seatindicated dem `Sea- 1; atmchmnt Iemoved ;fmm the vehicle :in Fige. i and3 and directly against frame .i and looking from a position forward ofthe yeand intermediate the drverys seat 3, I provide 5.0 hicle tothefront of the attachment; and Fig. 4 a plate member `il havingopposteupstandine is a cross-sectiona'l -view taken through the tanendlugs 5 thereon. The end *lugs 5 extend in dem attaohment substantiall-yon line 6.?4 'of Substantiaiiy V.Vertical planes spaced ``one from Fig,3. the .other on opposite sides ;of the central axis of My invention isvdiriected ;to -the .construction the vehicle. 'Iihe plate member!!J is;provided of :a simple zepplia-noe 'which is -readily attachwithamul-tiplicity .of longitudinally Aextending 55 V slots 6 through which Ubolts 'i extend. The

5. Bolt members Eli extend through the lowerV ends of side members 52and through apertures provided in lugs 5 foi` supporting the attachableframe in position. In order to allow adjustment to be made in theangular position of `frame IZ, I provide two sets of apertures in sidemembers |2 adjacent the edgefnearest the rear of the vehicle. In Fig. 2,I have shown one of the apertures at E5 with bolt member M passingthrough the other of the apertures immediately above aperture it. Itwill be understood that the Contour of the frames of Vehicles vary inmany VelO instances so that it is desirable to provide means forallowing the attachable frame to be adjusted to that angular positionwhich best Vmeets the conditions involved. While I have shown but oneadditional aperture 5 by which the attachable frame i may be secured tothe vehicle frame in a selected position, it will be understood that Imayprovide additional apertures by which the frame may be selectivelyfixed in position. The bolt members iii which secure the' lower`extreinities of frame. i withrespect to the upwardly projecting lugs 5may be anchored 'with respect to lugs 5 by any suitable form oflockwasher or other securing means.

I have found that in the installation of my tandem seat on some makes ofmotorcycleaa clamping member which normally supports the coil spring 86of the driver's seat 3 must be removed to allow space for the attachableframe. I, therefore, provide means on the attachment of my invention forreplacing the existing clamping device on the motorcycle frame andproviding a support for the main coil springs i E5 of the driver's seat3. The structure which takes the place of the clamping means fornormally supporting the coil Springs iii is represented by the extendedbrackets l l which project forwardly from the attachable frame I 2 andare secured thereto by means of bolt members tli. The brackets' H areeach bent inwardly and extend parallel with respect to each otherbeneat'n the driver's seat 3. Each of the brackets ll' carry anglemembers E8 which have laterally extending portions i8a project'ingoutwardly and serving as seats forthef coil springs 16. The coil springsl 6 are bolted in position on the lateral extensions lia of anglemembers |8 by means of bolts represented at 19. It

vwill be understood that the driveris seat 3 is shifted slightly forwardto allow sufficient space for the attachable frame 12 to be mounted inposition. ADepending upon the conditions best vsuited to the driver,theseat 3 may be located merely need to be removed from one securingposition and located in another securing position.

I provide a laterally extending member 22 disposed in a plane extendingat an acute angle to the axis of frame |2 and having end portions in theform oflugs 22a spot-welded, riveted, or otherwise secured to the sidesof the attachable frame l2 in` positions immediately above the widenedportions of theV frame. The laterally extending member 22 serves as aseat for coil spring 23.` A bolt member 24 passes through member 22 andis secured to the lower convolutions of coil spring'23. The coil spring23 is substantially frusto-oonical in contour and the compressiveresistance thereof tends to increase as the coil spring is compressed.The coil spring 23 projects rearwardly along an axis substantiallycoincident with the central axis of the vehicle. The extreme outer endof coil spring 23 carries bolt member 25 having a head which 'clampsbeneath the extreme end convolution of coil spring 23 against a sleevemember 25` which, in turn, bears against the confined end of the bracketmember 27? and against the central portion of the bracket member 28. Anut 29 is secured upon the end of bolt 25 for clamping the bracketmembers 21 and 28 with respect to the end of the coil spring 23. Thebracket member 21 is bent at an angle, as shown more clearly in Fig. 4and has the end thereof rolled to shape as shown at 30 to grip thelaterally extending sleeve 3|. The roiled end 38 of bracketV 2? isspot-Welded, soldered, or otherwise rigidly secured to sleeve 3|. Thesleeve 3| provides an extended bearing adapted to angularly shift aboutthe axis provided by bolt member 32 which extends through the sides ofthe attachable frame IB. The bolt member 32 is secured in position by anut 32a but sufiicient space is provided between the interior faces ofthe side members l2 and the ends of sleeve member 3| so as to allowsleeve member 3| to freely Shift about bolt member 32 as an axis. Inorder to meet the conditions existent in various makes of motorcycles, Iprovide sets of vapertures 33 in the sides of the attachable framemember |2 for the passagev of bolt 32. In the illustration,

bolt member 32 is located in the upper set of apertures 33 but there areconditions wherein bolt member 32 might be more effective when locatedin the lower set of apertures 33. The installation is, therefore,left'with a high degree of flexibility to allow changes in positions ofthe tandem seat depending upon the particular conditions which must bemet in different makes of motorcycles. The tandem seat has been shown at34 and is, in itself, adjustable rearwardly or forwardly with respect tothe brackets 21 and 28. Bracket 21 is apertured at 35 in a plurality ofpositions for receiving the bolt members 35 which are secured to theplate member 3'! in tandem seat 34 to locate the tandem seat in thedesired position with respect to driver's seat 3. Bracket 28 hasmultiple apertures in the extremities thereof, as shown at 38, to allowsecuring bolts 38 to be located in the desired position for mounting thetandem seat with respect to the' driver's seat and with respect to thehand grip l I. It will, therefore, be seen that adjustments may be madewith respect to the angular position of the attachable frame |2; thelocation of drivers seat 3 and the support of the spring 15 thereof indesired positions; the elevation of the tandem seat 34 Vwith respect tothe hand grip I l and the selection of the longitudinal position of thetandem seat 34 along the axis of the vehicle. The entire support for thetandem absorbed by action of the single spring 23.

seat 34 is provided through the medium of the attachment frame If. Shockand 'vibration is Accurate balance is obtained by reason of the factthat all compressive forces are effected in the direction of the centralaxis of the vehicle.

By reason of the relatively small number of parts, 'the cost ofmanufacture and assembly of the tandem seat is relatively low andbecause of the simplicity in design, mass production is greatlyfacilitated. The construction of the tandem seat lends itself forinstallation on a variety of different makes of motorcycles.

I have shown my invention in one of its prefei'red forms, but I desirethat it be understcod that modifications may be made and that I intendno limitations upon my invention other than are im'oosed by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is as follows:

1. A tandem seat or load carryng device, for Vehicles, including aframe, a driveris seat and a rear fender, a member wholly supportingsaid tandem seat or load carrying device, said member being cantiieveredfrom the vehicle frame in a position intermediate said driveris seat andsaid rear fender, and a tandem seat or load carrying device whollysupported 'by said frame.

2. A tandem seat or load carrying device, for Vehicles, including aframe, a driveris seat and a rear fender, a member connectible with saidframe intermediate said driver's seat and said rear fender, a readilydetachable frame cantilevered from said member, and a tandem seat orload carrying device resiliently supported by said attachable frame. i

3; A tandem seat or load carrying` device, for Vehicles, including aframe, a driver's seat, and a rear fender, a member connectible withsaid main frame intermediate said driver's seat and said rear fender, areadily detachable and attachable frame adjustably cantilevered to saidmember, a pivotally mounted carrier supported by said attachable frame,and a tandem seat adjustably mounted on said pivotally mounted carrier.

4. A tandem seat or load carrying device, for Vehicles, including aframe, a driver's seat, and a rear fender, a member connectible withsaid main frame intermediate said drver's seat and said rear fender, anattachable frame adjustably connectible to said member, means supportedby said member and projecting forwardly beneath the driver's seat, coilSprings interposed between said driveris seat and saidl last mentionedmeans, a carrier pivotally mounted on said attachable frame, and atandem seat supported by said carrier.

5. A tandem seat or load carrying device, for

Vehicles, having a main frame, a driver's seat and a rear fender, amember attachable to said main frame intermediate said driver's seat andsaid rear fender, an attachable frame connectible with said member, acarrier pivotally mounted on said attachable frame, a `resilient shockabsorbing device interposed between one end of said carrier and aportion of said attachable frame, and a tandem seat mounted on saidcarrier.

6. A tandem seat or load carrying device, for Vehicles, having a mainframe, a driver's seat and a rear fender, a member connectible with saidmain frame intermediate said driver's seat and said rear fender, anattachable frame connectible with said member, a hand grip adjacent theupper extremity of said adjustable frame, an adjustable pivot membercarried by said attachable frame, a carrier rockably mounted on saidattachable frame in a position below said hand grip, a resilient shockabsorbing device interposed between one end of said carrier and aportion of said attachable frame, and a tandem seat adjustably mountedon said carrier.

7. A tandem seat or load carrying device, for Vehicles, having a mainframe, a driver's seat and a rear fender, a member connectible with saidmain frame in a position intermediate said driveris seat and said rearfender, an attachable frame adjustably connected with said member, ahand grip formed on the upper extremity of said attachable frame, alaterally extending member disposed adjacent the lower end of saidattachable frame, a carrier pivotally mounted with respect to saidattachable frame in a position below said hand grip and a single coilspring interposed between vone end of said carrier and the laterallyextending 'member on said attachable frame in alignment with the centralaXis of the vehicle, and a tandem seat adjustably mounted on saidcarrier.

8. A tandem seat, or load carrying device, for Vehicles, having a mainframe structure and including a driveris seat and a rear fender,amember'connectible with said main frame structure intermediate saiddriver's seat and said rear fender, an attachable frame connectible withsaid member, longitudinally extending members connectible with saidattachable frame and with the aforesaid member, carriers adjustablymounted on each of said longitudinally extending members, coil springsupports for said driver's seat mounted on said carriers and adapted tobe moved to selected positions, a pivotally mounted carrier supported bysaid attachable frame, a shock absorbing device for suspending saidpivotally mounted carrier with respect to said attachable frame and atandem seat supported by said pivotally mounted carrier.

ROBERT RUSSELL HARR.

